Automatic release cleat for sail boats



A. PlVER 3,046,929

AUTOMATIC RELEASE CLEAT FOR SAIL BOATS July 31, 1962 Filed April 10,1961 &

V ////fi//////////////A f'j 3 mu ATTORNEY United States Fatent 3,046,929AUTOMATIC RELEASE CLEAT FOR SAIL BGATS Arthur Piver, PI-Craft, 3 .4Siacramento St, San Francisco 11, Calif. Filed Apr. 10, 1961, Ser. No.101,816 6 Claims. (Cl. 114-218) This invention relates to a new andimproved automatic release cleat for sail boats.

The present invention provides a safety release for cleats for sailboats. At the present, in certain types of sail boats such ascatamarans, the force of wind and the stability of the hull in someinstances may combine to cause stresses which will break the mast or ripthe sail, or otherwise seriously damage the boat. The present inventionprovides a cleat to hold the sheet for the sail or boom, such cleatbeing so constructed that when the forces exceed a predetermined amountthe cleat will release, thereby letting go the sail and preventingdamage.

The present invention finds particular application in connection withthe cam-type cleat, wherein the sheet is held between two eccentriccams. cleat is that so long as the sheet is pulled in a directionsubstantially parallel to the plane of movement of the cams an increasein the force applied to the sheet merely increases the security of itsattachment to the cleat. However, when the rope is pulled substantiallytransversely to the plane of movement of the cams it pulls from betweenthe cams and is released. The present invention provides a mounting forthe cam cleats which is pivoted about an axis transverse to thedirection of pulling of the rope and further provides means which tendsto maintain the cleat in its natural position but which releases uponapplication of a predetermined amount of pressure to permit the cleat topivot about the hinge, whereupon the cleat automatically releases thesheet and permits the sail or boom to give way.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a safetyline which may trail behind the boat and is attached to the automaticrelease cleat in such manner that when the line is pulled, as by a manoverboard, the cleat is released thereby letting go the sail andstopping the boat so that the man overboard may overtake the same byswimming, or pulling along the rope.

A feature and advantage of the present invention is the fact that it canbe installed readily in any desired location on an existing or newlyconstructed boat without the use of special tools and equipment or theexercise of specially trained labor. The device itself is rugged and notsubject to adjustment. The moving parts are largely concealed inside acasing where they are protected from weather and other damage. 1

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a catamaran in which the presentinvention is installed.

FIG. 2. is an enlarged perspective View of an automatic release cleat inaccordance with this invention, showing two sheets held therein.

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the constructionof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

The present invention has application in a wide variety ofinstallations, but finds particular application in boats where the hullhas considerable lateral stability. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, theinvention is applied to a catamaran having hulls 11 and 12 joined by adeck 13 and having ice projecting therefrom a mast 14 carrying a sail16, the outer end of which is supported by a boom 17, to which isconnected a sheet 18. Customarily, there are two sheets indicated byreference numerals 18 and 19' in the drawings.

A common means of retaining sheet 18 in a position of adjustment is acam-type cleat. Such a cleat has a pair of cam members '21, each ofwhich is pivoted by means of bolt 22 passing through the cam member. Thecam surface 23 is substantially semi-circular and is eccentric to thepivot 22. The two cams 21 are spaced apart a distance less than thediameter of sheet 18. As best shown in FIG. 2, the sheet 18 is placedbetween the cam members 21 with the cams 21 slanted rearwardly of thedirection of pull of sheet 18, such direction of pull being indicated bythe arrow. Application of force in the direction of the arrow tends topull the cams 21 toward each other as they pivot around the pivots 22.In other words,

A feature of .such

the application of force on the sheet 18 tends to grip the sheet 18 moresecurely and the greater the force the more tightly the cam cleat gripsthe sheet.

Instead of a pair of cams for each of a pair of cleats, as illustrated,a stationary abutment for both cleats may cooperate with a single camfor each cleat.

The foregoing arrangement is generally desirable, but a danger occurswhen the force becomes excessive. The stability of the catamaran andother boats on which the present invention is installed prevents theboat from heeling over and relieving the forces applied, and hence maycause the mast 14 to crack or the sail 16 to be torn, or the sheet 18 tobreak, or may cause other serious damage to the boat.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a means for mounting thecam-type cleat to the deck 13. A base plate 26 is provided which issecured by means screws 27, or the like, to the deck 13. Casing 28 ispivotally connected to plate 26 by means of hinges 29, the axis 31 ofhinges 29 being transverse to the direction of pull on the sheet 18.Casing 28 is generally in the form of an inverted open-top box whichconceals and protects from the elements the interior of the device. Thetop 32 of casing 28 provides a broad surface on which the cams 21 of thecleats may be mounted by means of pivots 22, and one side 33 provides amounting for the hinges 29.

As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the pull of the sheet 18 or 19 in thedirection of the arrows tends to pivot casing 28 around axis 31 and whenthe casing 28 has pivoted through approximately the sheets 18 and 19 mayslip out from between the cams 21, thereby releasing the sail or boom. 2

A resilient means is provided to resist the pivoting of the casing 28 inthe manner referred to in the preceding paragraph. Thus, the side 34opposite side 33 is provided with a detent 36 protruding from a sleeve37 mounted on side 34- and biased outwardly therefrom by spring 38.Detent 36 fits in a seat 37 in upward projection-40 of base 26. Fornormal forces the detent 36 remains in seat 37 and holds the casing inits natural position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, whereupon any force appliedto the sheets 18 and 19 merely results in more secure seating of thesheet in the cleat. However, when severe stresses are imposed spring 38is overcome and detent 36 escapes from seat 37 permitting casing 28 topivot around the hinge axis 31. and release the sheet. Accordingly, theforce of the spring 38 is selected to provide the necessary safetyfeature.

As an additional feature of the present invention, there may be provideda rope 41 which trails behind the boat in a position where it may bepulled by a man overboard. Rope 41 extends through an aperture 42 insideof casing 28 and is connected to one end of crank 43' which is pivotedby means of pivot 44- to a bracket 45 on base 26. A

second projection 46 extends downwardly from inside casing28 to becontacted by crank 43, although spring 47 biases crank 4 3 out ofcontact with projection 46. When the rope 41 is tugged the force ofspring 47 is overcome causing crank 43 to bear against projection 46 andforcto a remote location, such as a cabin, so that a sail may bereleased from a position away from the cleat. Although the foregoinginvention has been described in some detail, by way of illustration andexample for purposes of clarity of understanding it is understood thatcertain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit ofthe invention and scope of the appended claims. 7 a r What is claimedis:

1. A safety-type sheet retainer comprising a support, a cleat on saidsupport operable when said support is in first position to secure a lineand when said support is in second position to release said linepreviously held in said first position, a base, means mounting saidsupport on saidbase for movement between said first position and saidsecond position, and resilient means for securing said support in firstposition, said resilient means being biased to hold said support in saidfirst position until overcome by application of a force exceeding apre-sea lectedmagnitude tending to move said support to said secondposition.

2.- A retainer according to claim 1, which further com-- prisesa safetyline, and means for applying the additional force of a pull on saidsafety line to supplement the forces tending to move said resilientmeans to second position.

3. A safety-type sheet retainer comprising a support, a cam-type cleatpivotally mounted on support, means for pivotally mounting said supportabout a pivot axis transverse to the plane of pivotal movement of saidcleat,

and a detent resiliently'biased to restrain said support against pivotalmovement.

4. A safety-type sheet retainer comprising a support,

a cam-type cleat pivotally mounted on support, means for pivotallymounting said support about a pivot axis transverse to the plane ofpivotalmovement of said cleat, said support having an operable positionand an inoperable position at an angle to said operable position, adetent and a seat for said detent, said detent and seat being interposedbetween said support and a stationary base, and resilient means biasingsaid detent into said seat to maintain said support in operable positionuntil the forces applied overcome said resilient means; v a

5. A safety-type sheet retainer comprising a support, a cleat on saidsupport comprising a pair of cams pivoted on said support and spaced toengage and secure a sheet positioned between said cams and substantiallyparallel to the plane of movement of said cams and to release said sheetwhen at an angle to said plane, a base, hinge means pivotally mountingsaid support on said base about an axis parallel to said plane andtransverse to said sheet, a detent, a seat for said detent, said detentand said seat being interposed between said support and said base, andresilient means biasing said detent and seatintoiengagement with eachother to maintain said supper-tin position to secure said sheet untilthe force applied to said cleat overcomes said resilient means.

6. A retainer according to claim 5, which further comprises a safetyline to trail behind a boat on which said I retainer is mounted, a crankpivotally mounted on said retainer and attached to said safety line andoperable to bias said support andbase apart against the force of saidresilient means to overcome said resilient means.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,120,365 France July 4, 193s,

